Notes for a tyAgarAja ArAdhaka
DGandikota
Bhakti. Therefore, the claim for this post if not for ever is that an ArAdhaka
exists.
The foremost ArAdhakas of tyAgarAja de facto were his sishyAs (disciples) and
the parampara (lineage) that preserved his writings. Then we have many living
ArAdhakas unrelated to either tyAgarAja or his sishyAs. Therefore, one can
claim that tyAgarAja ArAdhakas are unofficial and often unacclaimed, yet very
dedicated in their cause to preserve their guru's work.
With that prologue, here is some analysis. In a vocal performance by a tyAgaAja
ArAdhaka the last charanam (stanza) of 'vandanamu raghunandana' (malaya mAruti
ragam) went thus:
'vEgarA karuNa sAgarA; tyAgarAja hrudayAkarA vandanamu raghunandanA...'
It was a moving voice and the antya prAsa (meter) was almost perfected. But
there was a flaw. The ArAdhaka unwittingly ended this wonderful kriti (lyric)
that has many interesting turns and twists by asking for a quick appearance of
raghunandana or Lord rAma. A detailed analysis of the many charanams in this
kriti actually leads to this ending:
'vEgamE karuNa sAgarA; tyAgarAja hrudayAkara vandanamu raghunandanA...'
There is no prAsa requirement on this ultimate charanam and the ArAdhaka is
indeed saving everyone the suspense by asking for alacrity instead of
appearance by Lord rAma.
-------------------
A famous ArAdhaka sang in Hamsanadam:
"bantu rIti koluviyya vayya rAma
tuntavinti vAni modalayini madAdula gotti
nEla kUla chEyu nija bantu rIti koluviyya vayya rAma"
Telugu movie producers made millions out of this kriti at one point. There is
no need to elaborate the fallacy as it is all once again in the interpretation
of prAsa 'viyya vayya'. The prAsa wise alternate and correct interpretation is
as follows:
"bantu rIti koluviyya gayya rAma
tuntavinti vAni modalayini madAdula gotti
nEla kUla chEyu nija bantu rIti koluviyya kayya rAma"
Thereby creating two different prAsa structures: 'viyya gayya' and 'viyya
kayya'. One can potentially create more to suit their taste with any
combination of 'viyya vayya' as well. Therefore the movie producers were wrong
in concluding that an ArAdhaka's version is what the guru intended for one and
all.
-----------------------------
A final example is the sudHa bangAla kriti:
"rAma bhakti sAmrAjyam
E mAnavulA kabbenO manasA"
The meaning is quite simple. The ArAdhaka is wondering what kind of people will
acquire a vast estate of rAma bhakti. Of course, it can be sung thus with no
reference to an estate:
"rAma bhaktI sAm(a)rAsyam
E mAnavulA kabbeno manasA"
In conclusion, tyAgarAja is a genius of prAsa and a great bhakta who created an
ocean of literary treasures for the ArAdhakas to explore and present for their
audience.
Padmavathi Ramanathan
On 9 Apr 1999, DGandikota wrote:
>
> With that prologue, here is some analysis. In a vocal performance by a tyAgaAja
> ArAdhaka the last charanam (stanza) of 'vandanamu raghunandana' (malaya mAruti
> ragam) went thus:
Is'nt this song set to the ragam Sahana?
>
> 'vEgarA karuNa sAgarA; tyAgarAja hrudayAkarA vandanamu raghunandanA...'
>
> It was a moving voice and the antya prAsa (meter) was almost perfected. But
> there was a flaw. The ArAdhaka unwittingly ended this wonderful kriti (lyric)
> that has many interesting turns and twists by asking for a quick appearance of
> raghunandana or Lord rAma. A detailed analysis of the many charanams in this
> kriti actually leads to this ending:
>
> 'vEgamE karuNa sAgarA; tyAgarAja hrudayAkara vandanamu raghunandanA...'
>
> There is no prAsa requirement on this ultimate charanam and the ArAdhaka is
> indeed saving everyone the suspense by asking for alacrity instead of
> appearance by Lord rAma.
>
-Padma.
Avittam
Vandhanamu Raghunandhana of Thyagarja is not in Malaya Marutham as you
mentioned. It is in Sahana for you information.
Rangarajan
DGandikota
Thanks to Sri. Padma and Sri. Rangarajan for pointing the typo in my post.
tyAgarAja's 'vandanamu raghunanthana...' is indeed in Sahana ragam. I call it
typo because for some reason I can't remember now I've put the rAgam's name in
paranthesis.
Now briefly to another eclectic matter, every magnificent kriti needs to be
preserved. The way to determine the magnificence of the kriti (just as the
'magnificent 7' did ;) to me is by evaluating the following:
(i) proximity of the sAhityam to current dialects--at least five generations
earlier makes it vintage;
(ii)meter/prAsa--simple rhymes makes it a nursery poem/song;
(iii) deification--there is little wrong with idol worship, but there is
nothing worse than abstract singing (imagine tyAgarAja singing 'sugunamulE
cheppukonti sundara parama hamsA....');
(iv) maleability--usage of compound words instead of long literary show-offs,
flexibility for substitution, etc.;
(v) lack of circularity--each line in the kriti should carry an independent
meaning regardless of what preceded and to follow;
(vi) meld with rAgam--it is not enough if the kriti refers to the rAgam;
(vii) meaning--nothing is classical without a great message from the older
generation to us and successive generations.